Aug 02, 2005 06:51 PM
4245 Views
(Updated Aug 02, 2005 06:51 PM)
The disadvantage of having no competition in local English daily in Ahmedabad has created a torture for us. With tough competition in local Gujarati newspapers all the competitors are trying hard to give the best but in English we do not have option & so we read The Times of India.
AhmedabadTimes of India is like a punishment posting for the TOI(The Times of India) staff. People who are not performing are sent to Ahmedabad. I think reporters are trained here and than sent to the other branch. Here no efforts are made to improve the newspaper in all the aspects.
Most of the reporters & editors are not from Ahmedabad and they do not know the history and geography of Ahmedabad & Gujarat. The reporters have only one motto to say bad things about Ahmedabad & Gujarat & also for the chief minister Narendra Modi. Even for the rain in Mumbai or calamity due to Sunami somewhere they will remember Gujarat and its past happenings. Godhra riots were written in out of proportion and even a minor riot or simple fight between two groups will be made a big issue. After three years also they find and create reports around Godhra riots.The reporters I understand that they write from the airconditioned chambers and most of the interviews are taken on telephone. The interviews get twisted & the views are from their own creations. Since last four years TOI is not missing a chance to write bad about Riots,earthquake rehabilitation work and other developments. They are not trying to see the good things about Gujarat and Ahmedabad. Even if you see the letters to the editors are selected only on there favour.
Ahmedabad Times is a so called Page3 of Ahmedabad.It is the most lousy four page colour advertisement supplement. The first page have local model’s photo. The interview on the first page bottom is totally made up ones. Again according to there views. The other reports on the first page are totally mediocre and written without much investigation. Last page has all the colour advertisements with the news from the bollywood & Hollywood(What are they doing in Ahmedabad Times.). Most lousy is the 2nd and 3rd pages which have nothing to say about.. 2nd page has the cartoon strips and star sign forecasts while 3rd page has photos of the most lousy parties of Ahmedabad. You can not distinguish between today’s and yesterday’s newspaper photos. I have heard that it is indirectly paid publishings!!! you can not see any difference in any photos,girls dancing,DJ performing and few photos of couples standing,eating seating so is it a Page 3 news???? Lots of other things are happening in this city other than dance parties.
Coverage of Gujarat and Ahmedabad news are most of the time outdated as it comes 2-3 days after the event or straight from the other local newspapers. In depth analysis is a far thing for local reporters. It is just writing what they get from PTI,AP or Reuters. Are they not getting good talented writers in Ahmedabad or they do not want Gujarat to come forward.
Gujarat has fought in the past and it has survived worst of time and has come up really well. You can see all around development of Ahmedabad & Gujarat. Ahmedabad is the safest city for all. Even ladies can move around till late night without fear but TOI will blow up a small event in to big headline news.
We await good national level newspaper to come and compete with this lousy newspaper of Ahmedabad. The bosses of this paper are not also studying why there is no growth in circulation. Ahmedabad has grown,Gujarat has grown but TOI is not growing in subscription and also there mind.
